Chelsea and Wolves, both struggling for form, meet at Molineux in the Carabao Cup, with forwards João Pedro and Jørgen Strand Larsen feeling the pressure to perform.
Chelsea travels to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup fourth round, a tie FotMob describes as Wolves’ toughest test yet in the competition.
The cup has been a welcome distraction for Vítor Pereira’s side, who have found “some solace in the League Cup following a dismal start to their Premier League campaign,” with both of their season’s wins coming in this tournament.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are also looking to improve on their league form, having registered “several disappointing results from Enzo Maresca’s side so far,” including a laborious 2-1 comeback win over League One side Lincoln City in the previous round.
A key point of focus for Chelsea is the recent dip in form of summer signing João Pedro, who has gone ten games for club and country without a goal. FotMob questions: “Is it time to worry about João Pedro?” suggesting a rotational start could be beneficial.
The report adds: “With his performances through the floor, perhaps a lower pressure cup game against Wolves is a good place to get back on it.”
In team news, Chelsea’s injury crisis is slowly improving, with Malo Gusto returning from suspension and players like Wesley Fofana, Andrey Santos, and Romeo Lavia available for rotation.
They remain without key figures like Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill. Wolves have a clean bill of health, and manager Pereira is expected to field a strong side, desperate for a win to potentially “save their season.”
Despite both teams’ recent struggles and the expectation of a cautious affair, FotMob ultimately tips the visitors to edge the fixture. “We’re not expecting a particularly exciting game here.
Chelsea should dominate proceedings and have most of the ball but considering their recent form, might be a little nervous if they don’t get an early goal. So we’re going with a 2-1 win for the visitors.”